Yahoo Fields Bids For 20% Stake In Company From Potential Partners

Yahoo has fielded offers this week from at least three bidders seeking a stake of about 20% of the company, the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg reported, and the company’s directors will likely discuss those offers at a regularly scheduled board meeting Wednesday in Sunnyvale, Calif. Bidders includeprivate-equity firm TPG Capital and a group consisting of Silver Lake Partners, Microsoft Corp. and others. Separately the Chinese online companyAlibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Softbank Corp. are looking to buy back Yahoo’s 40% stake in Alibaba and 35% stake in Yahoo Japan, sources said. Yahoo is also expected to receive an update on a continuing strategic review of the company at Wednesday’s board meeting. Yahoo would like to strike a deal on the minority stake sale by the end of the year, but failing that alternatives will be considered. The bids received this week place a per-share value on Yahoo of between $16 and $18, the sources said. Yahoo seeks a slightly higher price. The aforementioned firms have signed confidentiality agreements that limit their potential purchase to a minority stake. Bain, Blackstone and other firms including Providence Equity Partners and Hellman & Friedman have not signed confidentiality agreements with Yahoo because it would prevent them from going after the whole company. Additionally, Thomas H. Lee Partners is investigating an offer for Yahoo’s U.S. operations such as Yahoo Finance and Yahoo News and an Internet advertising business, other people familiar with the matter said.

Golden Globe challengers for television

The Globes get first crack at praising new fall Television shows, but they are available in second towards the Emmys if this involves spring debuts. The way these newcomers fare against 'Boardwalk Empire,' 'Good Wife,' 'Modern Family' and 'Glee'?Bet on Thrones(Cinemax)Precursor: "Rome"Why it could: The pay cabler's much-anticipated adaptation of George R.R. Martin's best-selling books would be a large success early in the year, spiking the fantasy milieu with gritty human drama. On the other hand, the genre is not for everybody, a smaller amount the show's penchant for graphic sex and violence.Otherwise the large one: Viewer favorite Peter Dinklage's portrayal of cagey outsider Tyrion Lannister has gained him an Emmy.An upbeat opinion: Mary McNamara, La Occasions: "An excellent and thundering number of political and mental intrigue bristling with vivid figures, mix-hatched with enticing plotlines and seasoned having a a little fantasy." * * * The Killing(AMC)Precursor: ABC's "Murder One," which initially gambled using the one-situation/one-season construct.Why it could: Moody North American atmospherics, a twisty murder and compelling figures added up to and including water cooler spring hit for AMC. On the other hand, red-colored herrings within the plot did not always please fans nor did the growing season-ending episode.Otherwise the large one: Mireille Enos obtained because the series' thoughtful, melancholy lead investigator, while Joel Kinnaman as her enigmatic, tart-tongued partner grew to become an admirer favorite.An upbeat opinion: Alessandra Stanley, NY Occasions: "Frightening and suspenseful, however in a subdued, meditative way that's in some way even more chilling." * * * Homeland(Showtime)Precursor: "24" for that propulsive feeling of a threat within our midst, combined with the mental suspense of "Rubicon."Why it could: A timely show about the price of hypervigilance within the Fight against Terror, it combines thriller inteligence with acute character study. On the other hand, the up-and-comer batch of dramas is strong this season, and also the popular holdovers ("Boardwalk Empire," "The Great Wife") showed tough endurance.Otherwise the large one: Claire Danes, being an intensely committed intelligence analyst, and Damian Lewis, because the coming back war hero she suspects of sinister doings, are submiting memorable work every week.An upbeat opinion: Matt Zoller Seitz, Salon: "The very best new show from the fall." * * * Enlightened(Cinemax)Precursor: Phone self-destructive side of well-meaning enhancement, "Samantha Who" and "The Brand New Adventures of Old Christine."Why it could: Edgy yet understanding, it stands for HBO's stature as a spot for offbeat, culturally relevant comedy, while offering a killer star turn from Laura Dern. On the other hand, the humor may be too brittle and spread for those tastes -- and it is not necessarily a comedy.Otherwise the large one: It's difficult to deny the pressure of character that Dern is here now, a potent combo of pinwheeling eyes, proper gamesmanship and hair trigger temperament.An upbeat opinion: Robert Lloyd, La Occasions: "Whitened and Dern may have settled for lampooning a particular strain of spiritual striving and also the blindness the convert mistakes for sight. But they are out for some thing.Inch * * * New Girl(Fox)Precursor: The twentysomething camaraderie of "Buddies," however with the 3 women concentrated into one kooky charmer.Why it could: Fueled through the star energy of Zooey Deschanel's winning lead perf along with a blessedly raunch-less method of dating humor, the show continues to be the breakout sitcom hit from the fall. On the other hand, by opting for oblong laughs instead of sporty guffaws, it runs the chance of not stimulating all tastes.Otherwise the large one: Deschanel is year's It Girl, fighting the restrictions of 1-lining sitcom convention with refreshingly off-kilter scene-stealing along with a charming inner light.An upbeat opinion: Matt Roush, TV Guide: "Everything about 'New Girl,' from her wacky co-stars towards the exclusively cool writing, is irresistible." * * * GOLDEN GLOBES RACETops in tubthumps? Best Picture: Drama Best Picture: Comedy or Musical Television Animation Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Lily Allen Gives Birth to Baby Girl

Lily Allen It's a girl for British songstress Lily Allen. She and husband, decorator Sam Cooper, welcomed their first child Friday, The Daily Mail reports. The couple has not yet announced the name of the baby.Lily Allen ties the knotBack in 2008, Allen suffered a miscarriage while four-months pregnant, and then again in November 2010 after a six-month-long pregnancy.The 26-year-old pop star and her husband, 32, married in June of this year. The couple began dating in July 2009.

Kali Hawk Has 'High School Plan' for Hollywood Success

Kali Hawk Has 'High School Plan' for Hollywood Success By Simi Horwitz November 25, 2011 Kali Hawk has little doubt her "Hollywood High School Plan" paved the way for the success she is enjoying, which includes a featured role in the film "Answers to Nothing," starring Dane Cook, Barbara Hershey, and other well-known actors."For my 'freshman' year, I knew I was going to do extra work and modeling," she says. "By my 'sophomore' year, I was going to have speaking parts in a film. By my 'junior' year, I would have supporting roles. And by my 'senior' year, I was going to be co-starring in a major movie with major actors." It worked every step of the way, she asserts. Indeed, by her "senior" year, she was co-starring with Vince Vaughn in "Couples Retreat." The plan pressured her to take action, "especially when I was coming to the end of the year and had not achieved what I set out to do," she recalls. It helped her to remain committed, focused, and determined. Hawk further boosted her ambitions by reading biographies of successful actors to learn from their experiences, and most central, she always surrounds herself with positive and supportive people. Asked what happens when things don't go according to plan, she insists that as long as you keep your eye on the prize, you learn to work around the bumps in the road.The NY City native always knew she wanted to act, entering high school when she was 12 and at 16 matriculating at SUNY at Purchase, where she majored in musical theater. At the same time, she was honing her skills as a singer and a guitar player; when she first arrived in L.A., it was to launch her career in music. Not one to limit her prospects, she checked out Craigslist for possible acting gigs and landed a stint in the indie "Issues." Other roles followed.Hawk acknowledges that auditions are nerve-racking but does fairly well at them, though the most successful are those where she is having fun. It's also essential to remain open. "And even if I don't get the role I'm auditioning for, if I keep myself open, then I may get another job they are casting later," she says. Digging Deeper To nail a role, the first order of business is visualizing that person, says Hawk, who does so by finding someone she knows who is reminiscent of the character. It's the starting point, "the suit I put on," which in turn leads to the inner work, such as motivation and objectives, she notes. In the end, she releases all of it and allows the director's adjustments and her experiences with the other actors to take over and inform what transpires.The role she is most proud ofindeed, the one she found most challengingis the self-hating young African-American she plays in "Answers to Nothing," a film about emotionally disenfranchised individuals set against the backdrop of a child abduction case. "Of course, I had reservations, though I'm aware not every character is going to be nice or necessarily reflect my views or values," Hawk points out. "It was very important for me to know that this character would take a journey and learn that her views are not okay. The director agreed with me, and I trusted him. This is my first real significant role in a dramatic film. This character has deep psychological issues that forced me to look into my own life. I was super scared. But I feel I can stand by that performance."Until this role, Hawk's performances were mostly comic. Her optimistic, enthusiastic, and sunny temperament is more suited to comedy, she says. Hawk, who has a background in improvisation and has worked with The Groundlings, is studying dramatic acting with coach Ivana Chubbuck. She realizes comedy and drama carry distinct demands and force her to tap into different aspects of herself, with dramatic roles requiring deeper self-analysis. "It's psychoanalysis of the character and me," she says. "If a character has a problem with her father, I have to look at my relationship with my father. I'd like to do more dramatic roles, and I'm focusing my attention on that right now."She'd also like to try her hand at action-adventure and remakes of "Love Story" "When Harry Met Sally," and "Pretty Woman." Other long-range ambitions include getting into the creative side of the businessperhaps forging projects with artists she has collaborated with. "Taking things I've done previously and use that to inspire further creativity," she asserts.Outtakes Has a co-starring role in soon-to-be-released "We the Peeples," produced by Tyler Perry and starring Kerry Washington, S. Epatha Merkerson, David Alan Grier, and Diahann CarrollLanded a role as a recurring character in the Fox series "New Girl"Was seen in "Bridesmaids," "Get Him to the Greek," and TV movie "The Fuzz" Kali Hawk Has 'High School Plan' for Hollywood Success By Simi Horwitz November 25, 2011 Kali Hawk has little doubt her "Hollywood High School Plan" paved the way for the success she is enjoying, which includes a featured role in the film "Answers to Nothing," starring Dane Cook, Barbara Hershey, and other well-known actors."For my 'freshman' year, I knew I was going to do extra work and modeling," she says. "By my 'sophomore' year, I was going to have speaking parts in a film. By my 'junior' year, I would have supporting roles. And by my 'senior' year, I was going to be co-starring in a major movie with major actors." It worked every step of the way, she asserts. Indeed, by her "senior" year, she was co-starring with Vince Vaughn in "Couples Retreat." The plan pressured her to take action, "especially when I was coming to the end of the year and had not achieved what I set out to do," she recalls. It helped her to remain committed, focused, and determined. Hawk further boosted her ambitions by reading biographies of successful actors to learn from their experiences, and most central, she always surrounds herself with positive and supportive people. Asked what happens when things don't go according to plan, she insists that as long as you keep your eye on the prize, you learn to work around the bumps in the road.The NY City native always knew she wanted to act, entering high school when she was 12 and at 16 matriculating at SUNY at Purchase, where she majored in musical theater. At the same time, she was honing her skills as a singer and a guitar player; when she first arrived in L.A., it was to launch her career in music. Not one to limit her prospects, she checked out Craigslist for possible acting gigs and landed a stint in the indie "Issues." Other roles followed.Hawk acknowledges that auditions are nerve-racking but does fairly well at them, though the most successful are those where she is having fun. It's also essential to remain open. "And even if I don't get the role I'm auditioning for, if I keep myself open, then I may get another job they are casting later," she says. Digging Deeper To nail a role, the first order of business is visualizing that person, says Hawk, who does so by finding someone she knows who is reminiscent of the character. It's the starting point, "the suit I put on," which in turn leads to the inner work, such as motivation and objectives, she notes. In the end, she releases all of it and allows the director's adjustments and her experiences with the other actors to take over and inform what transpires.The role she is most proud ofindeed, the one she found most challengingis the self-hating young African-American she plays in "Answers to Nothing," a film about emotionally disenfranchised individuals set against the backdrop of a child abduction case. "Of course, I had reservations, though I'm aware not every character is going to be nice or necessarily reflect my views or values," Hawk points out. "It was very important for me to know that this character would take a journey and learn that her views are not okay. The director agreed with me, and I trusted him. This is my first real significant role in a dramatic film. This character has deep psychological issues that forced me to look into my own life. I was super scared. But I feel I can stand by that performance."Until this role, Hawk's performances were mostly comic. Her optimistic, enthusiastic, and sunny temperament is more suited to comedy, she says. Hawk, who has a background in improvisation and has worked with The Groundlings, is studying dramatic acting with coach Ivana Chubbuck. She realizes comedy and drama carry distinct demands and force her to tap into different aspects of herself, with dramatic roles requiring deeper self-analysis. "It's psychoanalysis of the character and me," she says. "If a character has a problem with her father, I have to look at my relationship with my father. I'd like to do more dramatic roles, and I'm focusing my attention on that right now."She'd also like to try her hand at action-adventure and remakes of "Love Story" "When Harry Met Sally," and "Pretty Woman." Other long-range ambitions include getting into the creative side of the businessperhaps forging projects with artists she has collaborated with. "Taking things I've done previously and use that to inspire further creativity," she asserts.Outtakes Has a co-starring role in soon-to-be-released "We the Peeples," produced by Tyler Perry and starring Kerry Washington, S. Epatha Merkerson, David Alan Grier, and Diahann CarrollLanded a role as a recurring character in the Fox series "New Girl"Was seen in "Bridesmaids," "Get Him to the Greek," and TV movie "The Fuzz"

Palm Springs honors Michelle Williams

Michelle Williams will probably be honored while using Desert Palm Achievement Actress Award within the 23rd annual Palm Springs Worldwide Film Festival. The Academy Award-nominated actress can get the award inside a gala on Jan. 7. ''Every generation, the cinema includes a few artists who mesmerize audiences by getting a great combination of talent, versatility and class,'' mentioned festival chairman Harold Matzner. ''Michelle Williams epitomizes these qualities as she is constantly accept challenging role after challenging role. In their latest work, My Week with Marilyn, she perfectly captures the glamour and vulnerability in the legendary Marilyn Monroe who finds respite and solice throughout each week-extended hiatus from Hollywood demands.'' Williams, who joins George Clooney and Glenn Close among formerly introduced honorees, presently stars in ''My Week With Marilyn,'' which follows the particular-existence story of Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier in their concentrate on ''The Prince as well as the Showgirl.'' Past visitors in the Desert Palm Achievement Award include Natalie Portman, Hathaway As Catwoman, Halle Berry, Marion Cotillard, Charlize Theron, Naomi W and Kate Winslet. Contact Christy Grosz at christy.grosz@variety.com

Julie Taymor Blasts Bono, The Edge Over 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' Lawsuit

A week after Julie Taymor filed a lawsuit in NY claiming Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark infringed on her creative input, an interview with the Broadway director finds her calling out collaborators Bono and The Edge.our editor recommends'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' Producers Fire Back at Julie Taymor'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark': Another Cast Member Injured Esquire reports Taymor blames the U2 duo, who referred to her "exhausted" and "overwrought," for false characterizations that led to her removal from the pricey musical, which she directed and co-wrote before an altered version officially debuted on Broadway. "There's no doubt by the end of February, when I felt all of this stuff happening, that I was exhausted by that, but not by the show and not by the inspiration that I was getting from the actors," she said of her March departure. "What was exhausting was the fact that the producers were absent... Those people weren't there, so how does Bono know? I'm sorry." ANALYSIS: Can Julie Taymor Shut Down 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark'? Taymor also attempts to clarify the circumstances of her dismissal, which she maintains came as a complete shock to her and had nothing to do with an ultimatum about altering the show. "This thing that I refused to do the big changes and so they let me go? No. There wasn't [an ultimatum]," Taymor said. "That was not something that was brought up to me. " Instead, Taymor poses that making her take the fall for the beleaguered production -- which included six delayed openings and five injured cast members during her tenure -- was the only way for the producers to distance Spider-Man from the bad press. STORY: Julie Taymor Sues 'Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark' for Infringing Her Creative Input "I think that those were important to paint a picture of a director who you needed to release in order to make this big change," she said. "I had to be characterized that way in order for something to happen." Taymor initially filed an arbitration claim against the show after her departure, claiming she was owed more than $500,000 in royalties. Of this new lawsuit, her attorney says, "Ms. Taymor regrets that the producers' actions have left her no choice but to resort to legal recourse to protect her rights." Related Topics Julie Taymor Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark Bono The Edge

Activision: 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3' The Very First Day Sales Achieve Record $400 Million within the U . s . States, U.K. .

NY - Gaming giant Activision Blizzard's Activision Posting unit mentioned Friday that it's Cod: Modern Warfare 3 is nearly the finest entertainment launch ever by getting an thought $400 million in sell-through revenue and many 6.5 million models offered within the U . s . States as well as the U.K. inside the first 24 several hours of the release. It game company reported data from Charttrack and retail customer sell-through information. A year ago, within the U . s . States as well as the U.K., Activision's Cod: Black Procedures recorded thought day-one sell-through of $360 million. Too as with 2009, Cod: Mw2, set the thing that was each day-one record with thought sell-through of $310 million. "We're feeling the launch of Cod: Modern Warfare 3 might be the finest entertainment launch ever inside a medium, which we accomplished this record with sales from only two areas," mentioned Activision Blizzard Boss Bobby Kotick. "Aside from Cod, there's never been another entertainment franchise that has set opening day records three years back to back. Existence-to-date sales for your Cod franchise exceed worldwide theatrical box office for that Exorcist and also the almighty in the Rings, two of the extremely effective entertainment franchises ever.Inch Eric Hirshberg, Boss of Activision Posting, added: "Cod is a lot more than a game title title. It's be considered a primary problem using the pop cultural landscape. It's a game title title that core fans love, but which consistently draws new people to the medium." Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Subjects Bobby Kotick Activision Blizzard Cod: Modern Warfare 3